Cafe Sparrow

Name: Cafe Sparrow
Address: 8042 Soquel Dr, Aptos, CA, United States, 95003-4085
Telephone: (831) 688-6238
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8

991 Reviews

$31 to $50

French

Top Tags:

This charming country French restaurant located in historic Aptos Village, combines traditional French sauces with a California flair. The quaint restaurant with its open kitchen, consistently wins local readers polls for best restaurant. The creative menus are complimented by a varied wine list with a local focus . Lunch is served Monday through Friday 11:30 until 2:00. No lunch reservations, just come on in! Locals and visitors love the selections of salads, sandwiches and the best burgers in town, making up the lunch menu. Dinner is served Monday through Saturday from 5:00. Reservations recommended. Dinner features filet mignon, rack of lamb, pasta dishes, and the freshest of options from the sea. Sauces are a specialty. Desserts are made in house and are sure to please. Cafe Sparrow is the place to go in Aptos and Santa Cruz County for fresh, delicious and beautifully presented food.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 22, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 15 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(831) 688-6238

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
French, Californian, American
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(831) 688-6238
Website
http://www.cafesparrow.com/
Payment options
MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Bob Montague
Catering
Catering is not available from Cafe Sparrow
Private party facilities
Private and semi private events can be booked by arrangement. Private events require a buyout of the entire restaurant and are appropriate for parties of 40 - 60 people. Semi private events are available in our lower dining room for parties of 25 - 35 people. The menus can be designed around your event. Cafe Sparrow is a great venue for a rehearsal dinner, small wedding, holiday party, retirement party or other business event. Get your party planning started by contacting Julie in our office at cafesparrow@yahoo.com

Location
8042 Soquel Dr Aptos, CA 95003-4085
Neighborhood
Aptos
Cross street
Trout Gulch Rd.
Parking details
Street parking throughout Aptos Village
Public transit
Bus Stop
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wine

Popular dishes

Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna$12.50
with chili soy dipping sauce & wasabi
Gigi$15.25
fondue of white wine, herbs & cheeses, served with fresh fruits, vegetables & croutons
Roasted Garlic$9.00
oven roasted cloves of fresh garlic served with dried fruit marmalade & croutons
Fromage$10.75
fresh baguette rubbed with garlic & topped with cheddar, gruyere and brie, broiled until golden
Goat Cheese Salad$11.25
warm herbed goat cheese salad with oven roasted tomatoes & croutons
Cheese Plate$14.75
trio of delicious cheeses, ask your server for today's selection (contains nuts)
Crabcakes$12.50
grilled crabcakes served with, tartar & red bell pesto sauces
Coco$12.00
breaded & pan fried pacific oysters, served with lemon caper crème fraiche
Henri$12.75
grilled wild caught gulf prawns with orange pink peppercorn beurre blanc
Seared Day Boat Scallops On Polenta$14.00
vanilla orange balsamic reduction

Soup & Salads

Sparrow Salad
butter lettuce & fresh spring mix, crumbled blue cheese, candied pecans & dried cranberries tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette
- Small$9.00
- Large$15.50
Mediterranean Salad
crisp romaine, feta cheese & red onion in a kalamata olive & concassé tomato vinaigrette
- Small$9.00
- Large$15.50
Sparrow Caesar
classic caesar dressing, romaine, croutons, lemon & parmesan cheese
- Small$9.00
- Large$15.50
The Bleu Salad
hearts of romaine, creamy blue cheese dressing, roasted garlic & oven roasted tomatoes
- Small$9.00
- Large$15.50
Asian Spinach Salad
orange sections, almonds, red bells & green onions in a sweet sesame vinaigrette
- Small$9.00
- Large$15.50
The Soup of The Evening
- Cup$7.50
- Bowl$11.00

Dinner

Add a cup of soup or any of the below small salads to your entree — $7

New Zealand Rack of Lamb$33.50
oven roasted rack of lamb with an herbed dijon mustard crust, served with a choice of brandied cherry demi glace, rich red wine mint sauce or shallot bordelaise
Peppered Angus Filet Mignon$36.00
angus filet mignon pressed with freshly cracked white & black pepper, sauce diane
Surf & Turf$29.00
petite filet mignon with dijon cream sauce & two crab cakes with tartar & red bell pesto sauces
Angus Filet Mignon$35.00
grilled to order with a choice of mushroom red wine sauce, béarnaise butter or dijon mustard cream
- Petite$25.50
Filet Fettuccine Alfredo$25.50
grilled angus filet mignon tips over fettuccine, in rich alfredo sauce with parmesan cheese
Bardot$23.50
grilled breast of fresh chicken and pears, melted over with brie cheese, served on a nutmeg crouton
Yvette Salad$21.00
grilled & sliced breast of fresh chicken, pears, toasted walnuts & crumbled blue cheese on a bed of fresh spinach with a warm vinaigrette
Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna$28.50
with chili soy dipping sauce & wasabi
Seafood Capellini$28.50
grilled wild caught prawns or grilled day boat scallops or a combination of both, over capellini, in orange pink peppercorn beurre blanc
Calamari Picatta$24.00
pan sautéed calamari steak with lemon, butter, garlic & capers
Pablo's Ahi Salad$27.50
seared rare ahi tuna over a spinach salad with orange segments, red onion, red bell peppers, green onions & toasted sesame seeds, tossed with wasabi-citrus soy vinaigrette, (dressing contains peanuts)
Pierre's Chicken Livers$26.50
sauté of chicken livers, garlic, apples & bacon, finished with crème fraiche
Claude's Calves Liver$26.50
pan sautéed calves liver with red onions, vermouth, sage, garlic & bacon

Sides

Beets$3.75
Green Beans$3.75
Squash$3.75
Sautéed Spinach$3.75
Rice$3.75
Cous Cous$3.75
Polenta$3.75
One of Our Sauces$3.75
Potatoes With Garlic Butter & Parmesan$3.75

What 991 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco Bay Area
French
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Overall
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Food
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Service
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Ambiance
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Value
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Fit for Foodies
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Healthy
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Great for Lunch
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Neighborhood Gem
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Romantic
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Special Occasion

Sort by

Filters

k
kld123
San Francisco
98 reviews
vip
5.0
98 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very nice birthday dinner here. Great service from Brent. Excellent pork belly appetizer and. Rack of lamb entree. Tasty sundae for dessert.
J
Jojo
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Our night, being treated by our guest who does not like dining out, went beyond all expectations. The polenta was outrageously delicious (guest said the best he'd ever tasted) and the rest of the dishes were wonderful as well. Our server, Helen, could not have been nicer. All in all, an exceptional night out that made us all smile.
BE
BarneyE
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Took a friend there for his birthday. The specials and regular menu made for some tough, but delicious choices. Food was excellently prepared and was exceptional. Always consistently good.
J
Johnr
San Francisco
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always good
D
Diby
San Francisco
20 reviews
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on May 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Could not have had a better experience at Cafe Sparrow. The wait staff all friendly and wonderful. Food was AMAZING.
JB
JohnB
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always good!!!
RR
RobinR
Central Coast
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 7, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Cafe Sparrow never disappoints. We love coming here. The staff is always warm and friendly, the service is excellent, and the food is always reliably innovative and delicious. Another wonderful evening after a brutal workweek. Thank you. Cafe Sparrow!
M
Marieverte
San Francisco
13 reviews
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great waiter!!
DW
DavidW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 3, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food Attentive service Nice happy atmosphere A lovely date with my lady!
S
Steve
San Francisco
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on May 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always awesome. Great place to take out of town guests!
BP
BranddiP
San Francisco
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 1, 2022
overall3food2service4ambience4
Ambiance was nice, wine was wonderful, service was wonderful, food was ok. I expected a lot more flavor, quality, and execution.
R
Reed
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Exceptional experience; top shelf service, staff was friendly/ knowledgeable, amazing food and a charming ambiance. It was my first time dining at Cafe Sparrow but will certainly return when I'm in Aptos.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Palm Springs
14 reviews
vip
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on May 1, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience5
One of our favorite local restaurants. The food is always excellent with great selections of specials. It is limited on space so it can get a bit noisy at times but always an enjoyable meal
J
Jamruiz
San Francisco
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on April 28, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Always an amazing meal! A place that we always recommend, especially for special occasions!
T
Tri4dan
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 28, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Cafe Sparrow never disappoints. This is our favorite restaurant for fine dining in Santa Cruz County.
JT
JacquelineTravels
San Francisco
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on April 26, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent as usual. I’m so happy to be able to introduce people to this little gem of a restaurant. The food, wine and service are always outstanding. My friends who hadn’t been before were very taken by how charming the space is, and the menu’s great selection definitely means there’s something for everyone. They all agreed they will be returning.
LS
LouS
San Francisco
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on April 24, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good food, had a salad topped with chicken. Chicken was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. It was 27.00, but it was expected. Service was good, but value wise, it was not there.
C
Charlie
Orange County
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Second time here - really like this place. Run by people who obviously care about food, care about the details. Lovely spot - will be back.
T
Trudy
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 21, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We were seated immediately, given the specials and beverage menus. The staff were polite and attentive. The food was cooked to perfection and the accompanying sauces were delicious. The desserts were divine.
SF
StanfordFan
London
190 reviews
vip
5.0
190 reviews
Dined on April 17, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We return to the Sparrow for dinner everytime we are in Aptos. The service is always excellent. On this evening, I enjoyed the delicious cod special that had something tasty with artichokes on top. My husband relished every morsel of the steak and lobster special (sharing a small taste with me) My brother-in-law enjoyed the calamari picatta and my sister-in-law had the Yvette salad - which she says she always orders when she comes here. We topped it off with a scrumptious cheesecake of the day and a chocolate sundae. It has been our experience that you can't go wrong with whatever you order.
TL
TomL
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 16, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience5
Our server, Milla, was both gracious and attentive. We had a quiet table by the window overlooking a forested canyon. The ambience and decor was reminiscent of small French country restaurants. We had the scallops with polenta and this was superb. Followed this with the calamari piccata, a generous portion, though the sauce was a bit heavy and had perhaps too many capers, making it a bit salty. The petite fillet with mushroom & red wine sauce was cooked to perfection. They have lots of choices for sides that come with each dish. Go for polenta cakes or mash potatoes. And ask for sautéed veggies to replace typical sides. Overall we had a delightful time.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlantic Canada
4 reviews
vip
2.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2022
overall2food2service1ambience2
Server interacted with multiple tables prior to taking order and slowed the service during the evening.
RT
RobertT
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 12, 2022
overall4food2service5ambience5
Disappointed in the venison and duck. Sauce moisturized. Salad reasonable. Had nor beet to Cafe Sparrow since moving to Scotts Valley 8 years ago. Perhaps the brunch was what I heard most about. Bob Talkington
OT
OpenTable Diner
Central Coast
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on April 9, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was amazing, the staff was friendly and helpful. It was a great surprise
f
fylztyr
San Francisco
12 reviews
4.0
12 reviews
Dined on April 9, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience3
Our meals and service was outstanding....our appetizer not
G
Gigip
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We took our son there for his 24th birthday and it was amazing. We have been there before but he had not. He had the bouillabaisse with a cup of french onion soup, my husband had the pork chop special and I had the calamari picatta with the sparrow salad. Everything was outstanding and delicious. And the service was 5 star.
AL
ALiCE
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 3, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Quaint restaurant, AMAZING food, extensive wine selection, attentive service, special occasion prices. Park in the lot across the street. We will be back!
MC
MickieC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Expensive but Exquisite. Of course we didn't have to order 2 bottles of $70+ wine, but the food, the company and the delightful intimate setting was a PERFECT setting for a much needed wag over our book club's latest pick. I had the special Chinook Salmon and it was done perfectly with a jalepeno pesto sauce. YUM! Annie, our server was EXCEPTIONAL (friendly, attentive, responsive and courteous).
OT
OpenTable Diner
Central Coast
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 30, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is my favorite go to when in town. Always delicious, always a great dining experience!
D
Disneyfan
Sacramento
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 25, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
As always, special service, attention to detail, perfection
L
Laina
Central Coast
102 reviews
vip
3.0
102 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2022
overall3food3service4ambience2
Considering that there are no other French restaranats in Santa Cruz County, this one is satisfactory. The menu choices are authentically French. We asked for a paper copy of the menu for this review, but they had run out. The on line version differs a little from the menu that night. We had the Caesar Salad and asked for extra anchovies. There were no anchovies. The soup of the evening was a corn chowder, and it was more like a vegetable soup than corn chowder. The best dishes were the Rack of Lamb and the Pink Peppercorn Shrimp (an appetizer that we had as a main, with added vegetables. The restaurant is charming looking, like a French inn. It is small, therefore it was very noisy. If you are hungry for French Onion Soup or other French standards, this is a good place to come. Perhaps for lunch.
WG
WineGal
New Mexico
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service and delicious food at one of the classiest restaurants in Santa Cruz county.
k
kaboolie
San Francisco
78 reviews
vip
5.0
78 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a wonderful time from the minute we walked in and were greeted by a friendly and efficient hostess and were seated in the downstairs room which is so charming. We were served by Milla- I think that was her name and she was great. Her suggestions were spot on. She is so friendly and bubbly and that made the experience perfect. The food was as always great and the Salmon was excellent and cooked perfectly. While we were full we went with the desserts and they to were delicious. It is so nice they have small portions available for those that just want a bit more to finish off a terrific meal. Love this sweet restaurant.
M
Michael
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best restaurant in Santa Cruz County. Truly the very best!
WE
WorkoutEatRepeat
San Francisco
49 reviews
vip
5.0
49 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely atmosphere, exceptional staff, excellent food! Always a pleasurable dining experience.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Puerto Vallarta
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best service in Santa cruz county
G
Greg
San Francisco
50 reviews
vip
5.0
50 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely meal. Thank you.
SS
SSnative
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, great service. fabulous experience.
MV
MVDancer
Central Coast
40 reviews
vip
5.0
40 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Adorable bistro with delicious food and wonderful staff. Highly recommended!
HM
HappyMom
San Francisco
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful food! We had the lamp pops as appetizers and they were so juicy and tasty. Then we shared wild salmon on top of a fruit salsa and a ribeye steak with mushrooms. Both were so flavorful, well seasoned and perfectly cooked (medium!). Our only recommendation would be to take a bit more effort with the presentation - but the quality of the food and the attentive service make this a 5-star experience. And did I mention the awesome bread pudding for dessert???

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff temperature check required
- Contact tracing information collected

FAQs

Cafe Sparrow offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (831) 688-6238.

Cafe Sparrow is rated 4.8 stars by 991 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 22, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 15 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(831) 688-6238

8042 Soquel Dr Aptos, CA 95003-4085

Additional information

Cross street
Trout Gulch Rd.
Neighborhood
Aptos
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Cuisines
French, Californian, American
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street parking throughout Aptos Village
Public transit
Bus Stop
Payment options
MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Bob Montague
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wine

Website
http://www.cafesparrow.com/
Phone number
(831) 688-6238
Catering
Catering is not available from Cafe Sparrow
Private party facilities
Private and semi private events can be booked by arrangement. Private events require a buyout of the entire restaurant and are appropriate for parties of 40 - 60 people. Semi private events are available in our lower dining room for parties of 25 - 35 people. The menus can be designed around your event. Cafe Sparrow is a great venue for a rehearsal dinner, small wedding, holiday party, retirement party or other business event. Get your party planning started by contacting Julie in our office at cafesparrow@yahoo.com

Cafe Sparrow

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Additional information

Calamari Picatta

Sparrow Salad

Grilled Crab Cakes

Appetizers

Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna$12.50

Gigi$15.25

Roasted Garlic$9.00

Fromage$10.75

Goat Cheese Salad$11.25

Cheese Plate$14.75

Crabcakes$12.50

Coco$12.00

Henri$12.75

Seared Day Boat Scallops On Polenta$14.00

Soup & Salads

Sparrow Salad

Mediterranean Salad

Sparrow Caesar

The Bleu Salad

Asian Spinach Salad

The Soup of The Evening

Dinner

New Zealand Rack of Lamb$33.50

Peppered Angus Filet Mignon$36.00

Surf & Turf$29.00

Angus Filet Mignon$35.00

Filet Fettuccine Alfredo$25.50

Bardot$23.50

Yvette Salad$21.00

Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna$28.50

Seafood Capellini$28.50

Calamari Picatta$24.00

Pablo's Ahi Salad$27.50

Pierre's Chicken Livers$26.50

Claude's Calves Liver$26.50

Sides

Beets$3.75

Green Beans$3.75

Squash$3.75

Sautéed Spinach$3.75

Rice$3.75

Cous Cous$3.75

Polenta$3.75

One of Our Sauces$3.75

Potatoes With Garlic Butter & Parmesan$3.75

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Sort by

Filters

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

Does Cafe Sparrow offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Cafe Sparrow restaurant rated?

Is Cafe Sparrow currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Additional information